Running head: YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE 1

You Like What You See

Edward Kim

Chandler Gilbert Community College

WHY ARE YOU HERE? 2

You Like What You See

There are various types of people in the world. Most of those people are kind and do

helpful acts. Many of them, who are in a better situation than others feel the need to help others.

There are others, that are economically stable, like to see how the other half in different countries

lives. In order to do this, they travel to different countries and take Slum Tours, also known as

ghetto tours. This is a type of tour where tourists experience firsthand how people in poverty live

in different areas of the world. Slum Tourism is a voyeuristic means of exploiting the poverty

stricken to make a profit for those who run them. There are many destinations around the world

that have Slum Tours. Most of these places are the poorest places in the world. A few of the

places are London, Detroit, Brazil, Mumbai and India(Wiener, E, 2008, p.TR3). A specific slum

tour destination that is popular is Brazil.

Voyeurism is defined as the enjoyment from seeing the pain and distress of

others(https://en.oxforddictionaries.com). Travelers who go on these tours view the suffering of

these people. Slum tours also known as slumming is what travelers pay to see. This type of

tour in many different countries have been drastically growing. People are paying money to see

how the poverty stricken people live. They want to experience how they live and what they do.

In Brazil, these tours visit the favela which are a community of Brazilian shack

(https://en.oxforddictionaries.com). Tourists will get to experience how the other half of the

world lives. They get to experience their living conditions and how people live their daily lives.

It does come with a cost. These tours are sometimes dangerous, as you would expect from

poverty stricken areas. They venture into areas so dangerous that even police do not
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thread.(Wiener,E., 2008, p. TR3). This type of tourism turns poverty into

entertainment(Odede,K.,2010, p. A25). This form of entertainment is not ethical.

People do not want to show that they live in poverty. They wouldnt be proud that they

are. They do not boast how poor they are. These tours do just that. They exploit the people who

are unfortunate to those who can afford to go on these tours. These guides will allow tourists of a

foreign land to take pictures of how the poor live. They will engage with them to learn how one

goes about their day when one is poor. People in the slums always look for work (Wiener, E.,

2008, p. TR3). They will beg these tourists to give them money. These people in the slums will

be looked down at like animals in zoo. They will get photos, and we will lose a piece of our

dignity(Odede,K.,2010, p. A25).

Tour companies and tour guides are willing to go into the slums and show travelers

around. Travelers are willing to see the slums of any country. There has to be a reason for this.

Money. Slumming has grown drastically through the years. In Dhavari, the slums of India, it

has grown to 18,000 visitors per year back in 2015(Wall Street Journal, 2007, p.B.5). Making

money by showing the unfortunate ways of poverty stricken people is morally unethical. Many

say they will contribute back to the slums, to help the community. But, in essence, it is still

making a profit by viewing a place that is not beautiful nor pleasant. The people living in the

slums will still be looked down upon.

Slum tours have gained a lot of popularity amongst those travelers who go to other

countries. People want to experience how others live when they are poor. When one does so, it is

unethical to view others that are having such a hard time in life.
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Weiner, E. (2008, Mar 09). Slum visits: Tourism or voyeurism. New York Times

(1923-Current File) Retrieved from https://search-proquest-

com.ez1.maricopa.edu/docview/897784059?accountid=3859

voyeurism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 28, 2017 from

Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/voyeurism

Odede, K. (2010, Aug 10). Slumdog tourism. New York Times

(1923-Current File)Retrieved from https://search-proquest-

com.ez1.maricopa.edu/docview/1461130283?accountid=3859

Journal exchange -- the informed reader: Insights and items of interest from other

sources (2007, Mar 16). Wall Street Journal Retrieved from https://search- proquest-

com.ez1.maricopa.edu/docview/399022532?accountid=3859